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PS4 Review: Super Dungeon Bros

Super Dungeon Bros is your basic hack and slash co-op roguelike starring four knights with a TMNT 80s esque attitude. While their colors differ their skills do not. What sets one hero apart from the next is their equipment load out as there are four types of weapons. The sword and hammer are both melee, naturally, while the crossbow and the wands offer a ranged approach to combat. Each weapon also has stats that accompany it.

For example, the sword begins with a good, well-balanced amount of power, defense, and utility. It can be upgraded to increase those stats with sort of an evolution like process using jewels acquired from dungeons. While there are strengths to the other weapons and having a team of buddies with each could make for a good, well-rounded party, I just didn’t like using anything else especially the ranged varieties. The crossbow has infinite ammo, but it still has to reload and when creeps hoard you, it doesn’t make for fun gameplay.

This game may be a roguelike, but of the three maps, most playthroughs won’t change. It’s like everything from level to level stays the same albeit rearranged with new angles, or something. It’s odd and given that all three areas are short regardless, it makes the repetitive nature of bashing baddies grow tiresome quicker even if you’re trying to beef up your arsenal to the max.

I already mentioned jewels, but you can gain gold on quests as well, but they can only be spent on that particular run. When you die so goes your gold. In-between stages you can use it to grant buffs like increasing stats, or there are randomized shops that appear as well offering lives and health restoration. For me, lives are the most important buff you can grant yourself so it’s best to save those coins for whenever you run into the mysterious shopkeeper. That’s a hot tip for would be adventurers.

Now by no means is Super Dungeon Bros bad, technically, but in terms of fun and variety, well, it and I had little. The biggest issue I had was finding a party online. I had this game for almost a week and tried to connect randomly throughout various points of my day and I didn’t find one person on PS4. That doesn’t mean the game is broken, but it probably does mean no one bought it, which is a shame given that these types of experiences should be played at the maximum capacity. Yet even if I were able to find four people I don’t think my opinion would have changed.

Super Dungeons Bros was a huge disappointment. I love co-op brawlers and I’m always looking for the next big hit like Scott Pilgrim, or Castle Crashers, but this doesn’t even come close to matching those treasures. It’s not like I didn’t have any fun, but the allure grew old fast thanks to the lack of variety from the knights, maps, and weapon layout. Not bad, just forgettable.

Score: 2/5 Stars

Special Notes: I was provided with a PS4 review code for Super Dungeon Bros.